Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-05
The Venus AccrOupie.

Richard Jeries in the MAGAZINE Art for September
Turning to the left on entering the Louvre, I
found myself at once among the sculpture, which
is on the ground floor. Except that Venus Of
what was about to see, but stepped into an
unknown world OF statuary. Somewhat tndiffer-
emily, glanced up and then down, and instantly
my GOODNESS was succeeded by delight, for there.
In the center OF the gallery. was statue in the
sense In which understand the wOrd-the beauti-
full made tangible in human form. I said
at once ''That Is my statue. There lies all
Paris for me; shall find nothing further" l
was then at least thirty yards distant, with
the view partly broken, but it was impossible to
doubt or question lines such as those On a
gradual approach the limbs became more defined,
and the torso grows, and becomes more and more
human-this is one OF the remarkable cirCum-
stances connected with the statue. There is life
in the wide hips, chest and shoulders: so marvel
Gus is the Illusion that not only the parts that re-
main appear animated but the Imagination re-
stores the missing and mutiIated pieces, and the
was missing, and the arms gone; the idea OF form
suggested by the existing portions was carried on
over these, and filled the vacant places.
Going nearer, the large hips grow from stone to
fe the deep folds OF the lower torso have but this
moment been formed as she stopped, and the i'm
pulse is to extend the hands to welcome this beau
tifuI embodiment OF loving kindness. There, in
full existence, visible, tangible, seems to be all
that the heart has imagined OF the deepest and
dren that they may climb her back; the whole Of
her body speaks the dearest, the puresJ love. To
extend the hands toward her is so natural it IS
difficult to avoid actually doing so. Hers is
not the polished beauty OF the Venus de Medici,
whose very fingers have no joints. The
typical Venus is fined down from the fu!l
growth OF human shape TO ut the artists
conception OF what beauty should be. Her frame
is rounded; her limbs are rounded; her neck is
ro.nded; the least possible appearance OF fulness
is removed; any line that is not in exact accord
ance with a strict canon is worked Out-1n short,
an ideal is produced but humanity is obliterated.
something OF the too rounded is found in it; a
gure so polished has an air OF the bath and of the
mirror, or luxury 1t Is too feminine; 1t obviously
has price payable in gold. But here is woman
perfect as woman, with the love OF children in
her breast, her back bent for their delight. An
ideal indeed, but real and human. Her
form has its full growth OF wide hips, deep
| torso, broad shoulders. Nothing has been re-
pressed or fined down to canon OF art or luxury.
heart beats within her bosom; she is love; with
her neither gold nor applause has any thing to do;
she thinks or the children. In that length OF back
and width Of chest, in that strong Torso there is
Just the least trace OF manness. She is not at all
Feminine; with all her tenderness she can think
and act as nObly as man.
Absorbed in the contemplation OF her beauty, l
did not for some time think OF inquring into ma
ter1a particulars. But tuere is tablet the ped
estal which tells all that Is known. his statue
Is called the "VenuS Accroupie,' or STOPPING We
nus, and was found at Vienne, France. The term
venus" Is conventional, merely TO Indicate 1e-
male OF great beauty, for there is nothing in the
figure 10 answer to what one usually understands
woman STOPPING to take Il Child pick-a-back, the
childS little hand remaining upon the back, just
as it was placed, in The act OF chnglng.
Both arms are missing, and there APP. g RS
to be some dispute as to the exact way they Were
bent across the body. The right arm looks as
IL it had passed partly under the lett breast, the
fingers resting on the left knee, which Is raised:
while the lett arm was upliIted to maintain the
balance. The Shoulders are massive rather than
broad and do not ovtronaGow the width of the
hips. The right knee is rounded, because it Is
bent; the left knee less so, because raised. Bend
ing the right Knee has the effect slightly WIDEN
ing the right thigh. The right knee Is very noble,
bod In It's SLOW curve, STRONG ana Deaulilul.